Lawrence realizes that he has to drop the price of pyrite or risk losing Holo to Amati. After receiving the information on Amati's assets, Lawrence finds Amati and proposes a deal based on credit (essentially, a naked short on pyrite), which will result in profit for Amati if the price of pyrite rises or losses if the price of pyrite falls. Amati accepts the deal after Lawrence appeals to his chivalry and causes him to doubt that Holo will agree to his marriage proposal. Unable to enlist Mark's help to purchase the pyrite necessary to pull off the deal, Lawrence turns to the alchemists in the belief that they should have a large amount of pyrite that he can purchase.

Holo and Lawrence visit the port in Renos, where they sit down for a meal. Holo uses her sharp senses and informs Lawrence that foreign fur merchants are unable to sell their wares, resulting in some unrest. However, she becomes inebriated from the meal and has to rest. Lawrence, meanwhile, visits a local bar to gather information and learns that the entire town is on edge due to some issues with the fur trade. After dinner, Lawrence goes to talk with the innkeeper but is interrupted by the arrival of the mysterious cloaked stranger, who introduces herself as Eve Bolan. She and Lawrence briefly chat, and she tells him that they should chat further if their interests coincide.

Even in light of the chaos caused by the coup, Eve and Lawrence decide to continue with their plan. While Eve goes to reserve a ship, Lawrence leaves Holo with the traders and receives the gold according to the deal. However, when he meets with Eve in the inn, Lawrence decides to pull out. Eve threatens to murder him, since he discovered Eve had a cunning plan involving the Church to earn a huge amount of money. Eve knocks him out, but leaves him a deed to an inn, which he then uses to buy back Holo. In the face of Holo's apparent fury, Lawrence declares his decision to forgo his dream and keep traveling with Holo.